Work, Volunteer and Study in Australia

Depending on what kind of holiday you have planned, you'll need to sort out your visas. Australia is so big, and so far from many countries, that many travellers choose to spend a large chunk of time here to experience it fully. Find out how if you are eligible to apply for a year-long Working Holiday Visa, and how you can extend your stay by working in regional areas. Plus learn about volunteering and studying in Australia - both great ways to immerse yourself into Australian life and enrich your adventure.

Work, Volunteer and Study in Australia

Find out more about tourist and working holiday visas and how to volunteer and study in Australia.

Depending on what kind of holiday you have planned, you'll need to sort out your visas. Australia is so big, and so far from many countries, that many travellers choose to spend a large chunk of time here to experience it fully. Find out how if you are eligible to apply for a year-long Working Holiday Visa, and how you can extend your stay by working in regional areas. Plus learn about volunteering and studying in Australia - both great ways to immerse yourself into Australian life and enrich your adventure.

Australian ETA

If you’re visiting Australia for less than three months and don’t intend to work while you’re here, then you simply need an ETA (Electronic Travel Authority). Your travel agent will issue your ETA along with your airline ticket or if you’re an EU citizen, you can apply online for free. An ETA allows you to holiday in Australia for up to three months.

If you’re planning to stay a while in Australia and work while you’re here, you may be eligible for a Working Holiday Visa.

The Australian Government’s Working Holiday and Work and Holiday visa programs were created to enable young travellers to have an extended holiday and earn money while they travel through short-term employment. They cover full-time, part-time, casual, shift and voluntary work.

If you’re aged between 18 and 30 and hold a passport from a participating country or region, you may be able to stay and work in Australia for up to 12 months. You can also leave and re-enter Australia a number of times while the visa is valid.

You will need to organise your Working Holiday visa before you arrive in Australia.

Want to stay longer and continue your working holiday? If you work in Australia’s regional areas, you may be able to apply for a second Working Holiday visa and extend your stay for another 12 months. This means you may be eligible to stay in Australia for up to 24 months from the date you first entered Australia on your first Working Holiday visa.

To be eligible you must have completed three months specified work in eligible regional areas of Australia while on your first Working Holiday visa.

The length of time you can stay is assessed individually when you apply. You can apply for a second Working Holiday visa either while you still have your first Working Holiday visa or at a later date.

Volunteering is a great chance to get involved with a local community and deepen your Australian experience. WWOOF (Willing Workers on Organic Farms) places travellers on organic farms, where farmers provide flexible jobs in exchange for accommodation and meals. Expect to work half a day for a full day’s board. This model applies to a huge variety of other volunteer roles, from rescuing turtles in Cape York to organising arts festivals in Arnhem Land. You could also sign up as a Conservation Volunteer and work as part of a team to help preserve precious Australian eco-systems. Your meals, accommodation and travel to and from the project are provided. There are also lots of global organisations offering volunteer research expeditions and volunteer holidays in Australia.

Like the idea of studying in Australia? The Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) will grant you a student visa if your course is registered, or part of a registered course, on a full-time basis. For courses of less than three months, you can enrol on a Working Holiday Visa. Under a student visa, you’ll have access to Australia’s subsidised student health cover and can apply for permission to work part-time. Australia offers a whole host of courses and has an international reputation for academic excellence.

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